No. 1 LSUE keeps rolling in road sweep at No. 18 Hinds

RAYMOND, Ms. – LSU Eunice Baseball showed it can win in multiple ways during a Friday doubleheader sweep of No. 18 Hinds Community College at Joe G. Moss Field. The No. 1 Bengals (30-0) capped off a busy week playing six games in four days as LSUE is in the midst of a season-long 10-game road trip.

The Bengals were able to use their offense in Game 1, building an eight-run lead before holding on late for a 9-8 victory. LSUE then turned around and gave a dominant pitching effort, delivering Hinds CC its second shutout of the season in a 3-0 win.

LSUE closes out its road swing next week starting with a Wednesday, March 29 game at Centenary College JV. The Bengals will return home on Friday, April 7 for a 3:0PM doubleheader against Delgado Community College.

Game 1 vs. Hinds CC – W, 9-8
LSU Eunice held off a late Hinds CC surge as the Bengals escaped with a 9-8 victory to start the day’s doubleheader.

Everything was going the Bengals’ way early as LSUE raced out to a 9-1 lead. Grant Mangrum jump started the LSUE attack with a two-run home run in the second inning, part of a five-run frame. Dawson Willis, Parker Coley and Korey Cooper added RBIs in that pivotal inning.

After Hinds would strike for a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning, the Bengals would continue to stack runs. Coley added another RBI single before Alexander Saunier scored on a wild pitch.

A fourth inning Mangrum RBI single and Zachary Thomas sacrifice fly pushed the LSUE lead to 9-1 heading into the seventh inning.

Connor Benge kept the Eagles at bay, turning in another dominant starting effort. Benge (6-0) would strike out five batters in six innings pitched while giving up just one earned run over six hits and two walks.

After Hinds chased Benge, the Eagles would mount a comeback cutting the deficit to 9-4 entering their final at bat. Hinds put a scare into the Bengals with a two-out two run single cutting the LSUE lead to 9-8. Josh Gregoire would pick up his sixth save of the season after inducing a fly out to squash the Eagles rally.

The Bengals saw seven different players log multi-hit games as LSUE totaled 16 hits on the game.

Game 2 vs. Hinds CC – W, 3-0
The Bengals turned to their pitching and defense in the finale, blanking Hinds CC 3-0. It LSUE’s sixth shutout of the season.

Parker Webb provided the heavy lifting in the clean sheet, going 5.1 innings in the seven inning contest. The freshman struck out eight batters while scattering five hits and two walks. Webb pitched out of traffic in the second and fifth innings, leaving two runners on base each frame.

After putting two runners on in the sixth off a walk and hit by pitch, Jacob Moore would come in and slam the door shut. The big righty would induce two fielder’s choices to get out of the inning and deliver three strike outs in the final frame to secure his first save of the season.

LSUE did not need much offense as Parker Coley provided the go ahead run with a solo blast in the third, his fifth home run of the season. The Bengals manufactured two insurance runs in the seventh with a bases loaded walk and Korey Cooper converting a sacrifice ground out to score a run.

Dawson Willis accounted for two of the team’s five hits as the freshman enjoyed a strong day at the plate, going 4-for-7 with an RBI and two runs scored.